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Another important difference is that in the 1300s the overwhelming majority of Europe's population were farmers. Sure, they did a lot of things besides farming,

Another important difference is that in the 1300s the overwhelming majority of Europe's population were farmers. Sure, they did a lot of things besides farming, but you could get a lot of workers for cheap during summer and winter when they weren't needed on the fields.

Gibbon1 2y ago
Speaking of farmers I've read here and there that sometimes getting skilled workers in the trades you want was a real problem. So if you want a fitted stone building in a place where buildings are only wattle and dub or rocks and mud it might take a lot of wheedling to get the guys you need to take the gig.
- pmontra 2y ago
  Nothing changed. Getting skilled workers in the trades you want is still a real problem. I'm learning to do more things myself because of that.
- bluGill 2y ago
  Note that here they are using "square" for the face of the walls, but the inside are just whatever they can fit. Less skill needed for the bulk of the stone. Square in quotes because they are not very close, but still a more or less flat sides for out, up, and down. The doors and windows have much better quality stone with a much nicer finish - good tolerances matter here so your door/window fits (though the window probably was just open air or a shutter)
- spenczar5 2y ago
  An interesting case of that is the stave church builders of Norway. Stave churches are marvelous woodworking achievements, and too many of them sprung up too quickly in the historical record. The current theory is that there were traveling bands of master craftsmen who would start the project, do the hardest parts, and teach the local peasants how to finish the job. Then they would move on to the next parish.
red-iron-pine 2y ago
and in some places that was mandatory -- the Corvée system, or similar, were commonly implemented. essentially you owed the local lord a fixed number of days of work, and/or a tax; days could be traded for tax and vice-versa. usually things like clearing, roads, and bridge building, etc.

Gibbon1 2y ago

Speaking of farmers I've read here and there that sometimes getting skilled workers in the trades you want was a real problem. So if you want a fitted stone building in a place where buildings are only wattle and dub or rocks and mud it might take a lot of wheedling to get the guys you need to take the gig.

pmontra 2y ago
Nothing changed. Getting skilled workers in the trades you want is still a real problem. I'm learning to do more things myself because of that.
bluGill 2y ago
Note that here they are using "square" for the face of the walls, but the inside are just whatever they can fit. Less skill needed for the bulk of the stone. Square in quotes because they are not very close, but still a more or less flat sides for out, up, and down. The doors and windows have much better quality stone with a much nicer finish - good tolerances matter here so your door/window fits (though the window probably was just open air or a shutter)
spenczar5 2y ago
An interesting case of that is the stave church builders of Norway. Stave churches are marvelous woodworking achievements, and too many of them sprung up too quickly in the historical record. The current theory is that there were traveling bands of master craftsmen who would start the project, do the hardest parts, and teach the local peasants how to finish the job. Then they would move on to the next parish.

red-iron-pine 2y ago

and in some places that was mandatory -- the Corvée system, or similar, were commonly implemented. essentially you owed the local lord a fixed number of days of work, and/or a tax; days could be traded for tax and vice-versa. usually things like clearing, roads, and bridge building, etc.